18/10/2021 - Tijana Zinajić’s solo debut has scooped the most Vesna Awards; Inventory, Murina, Reconciliation and Small Body were also among the winners of multiple gongs

The clear winner of the 24^th Festival of Slovenian Film was Tijana Zinajić’s film Bitch, a Derogatory Term for a Woman [+see also:
film review
film profile], which won the Vesna Award for Best Feature Film, complemented by five more Vesna Jury Awards (Iza Strehar for Best Screenplay, Liza Marijina for Best Female Lead Role, Anuša Kodelja for Best Female Supporting Role, Neža Zinajić for Best Production Design and Matic Hrovat for Best Costume Design). Zinajić’s film also scooped the Vesna Audience Award.

Darko Sinko’s debut feature, Inventory [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Darko Sinko
film profile], which premiered at San Sebastián earlier this year, had been considered a bit of a frontrunner before the festival, but it only partly confirmed its status. Sinko got the Vesna for Best Director, Matija Krečič was awarded for Best Original Music, and actors Radoš Bolčina and Dejan Spasić won the Awards for Best Lead and Best Supporting Role, respectively. On top of that, Sinko was also deemed Best Debutant, while the film also snagged a Special Mention from the jurors, who came from the ranks of the Art House Cinema Network of Slovenia (AKMS).

In the documentary competition, the winner was Marija Zidar’s Reconciliation [+see also:
film review
film profile], which also picked up the Critics’ Award. The film was also awarded for Best Editing, which was handled by Uroš Maksimović and Mariana Kozáková. Laura Samani’s Cannes Critics’ Week title Small Body [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laura Samani
film profile] was deemed Best Minority Co-production. For his work on that film, DoP Mitja Ličen was deemed deserving of the Vesna for Best Cinematography.

The Festival of Slovenian Film took place at physical locations in Portorož between 12 and 17 October, and saw 11 domestic and nine minority-coproduced feature-length titles in competition. Two more mid-length documentaries, 21 shorts and 12 student films rounded off the list of competition titles.

Here is the complete list of award winners:

Vesna Award for Best Feature Film
Bitch, a Derogatory Term for a Woman [+see also:
film review
film profile] – Tijana Zinajić (Slovenia)

Vesna Award for Best Director
Darko Sinko – Inventory [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Darko Sinko
film profile] (Slovenia)

Vesna Award for Best Screenplay
Iza Strehar – Bitch, a Derogatory Term for a Woman

Vesna Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role
Liza Marijina – Bitch, a Derogatory Term for a Woman

Vesna Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role
Radoš Bolčina – Inventory

Vesna Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Anuša Kodelja – Bitch, a Derogatory Term for a Woman

Vesna Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Dejan Spasić – Inventory

Vesna Award for Best Cinematography
Mitja Ličen – Small Body [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laura Samani
film profile] (Italy/France/Slovenia)

Vesna Award for Best Original Music
Matija Krečič – Inventory

Vesna Award for Best Editing
Uroš Maksimović and Mariana Kozáková – Reconciliation [+see also:
film review
film profile] (Slovenia/Serbia/Montenegro/Kosovo)

Vesna Award for Best Production Design
Neža Zinajić – Bitch, a Derogatory Term for a Woman

Vesna Award for Best Costume Design
Matic Hrovat – Bitch, a Derogatory Term for a Woman

Vesna Award for Best Make-up
Martina Šubic Dodočić – Oasis [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ivan Ikic
film profile] (Serbia/Netherlands/Slovenia/Bosnia and Herzegovina/France)

Vesna Award for Best Sound
Julij Zornik – Murina [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović
interview: Gracija Filipovic
film profile] (Croatia/Brazil/USA/Slovenia)

Vesna Award for Best Minority Co-Production
Small Body – Laura Samani

Vesna Award for Best Documentary
Reconciliation – Marija Zidar

Vesna Award for Best Live-action Short
Sisters – Kukla Kesherovic (Slovenia)

Vesna Award for Best Animated Short
Steakhouse – Špela Čadež (Slovenia/Germany/France)

Vesna Award for Best Experimental Short
Intrusion – Matevž Jerman and Niko Novak (Slovenia)

Vesna Award for Best Student Film
(in)visible – Anže Grčar (Slovenia)

Vesna Award for Special Achievement (Inventive Structure and Excellent Storytelling)
Granny’s Sexual Life – Urška Djukić and Emilie Pigeard (Slovenia/France)

Vesna Award for Special Achievement (Minority Co-production)
Penalty Shot – Rok Biček (Croatia/Slovenia)

Special Mention (For Telling a Rarely Seen and Forgotten Story)
Sparks in Time – A Worldwide Computer Adventure – Jurij Gruden (Slovenia)

Special Mention (For a Guerilla Approach to Filmmaking)
Ameba – Blaž Završnik (Slovenia)

Vesna Audience Award
Bitch, a Derogatory Term for a Woman – Tijana Zinajić

Other awards:

Art House Cinema Network of Slovenia (AKMS) Award for Best Feature
Murina – Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović

Special Mention
Inventory – Darko Sinko

FIPRESCI Slovenia Critics’ Award
Reconciliation – Marija Zidar

Best Debut Award (provided by Iridium)
Inventory - Darko Sinko